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Wednesday, November 30, 2016

5 Wedding Photographers Reveal Their Biggest Pet Peeves

Your wedding photographer adores you, and couldn't be happier to photograph your wedding day — there's no two ways about it. But that doesn't mean the guy or gal behind the camera lens isn't hiding a grimace when a guest steps in to steal the shot, or a family member goes MIA right before your well-timed portrait session.

So if you've ever wondered what annoys them the most, five wedding photographers are here to reveal their biggest wedding-day pet peeves — so you can avoid them, of course.

"By far, my biggest pet peeve is when everyone at the ceremony has their phone, iPads, and cameras, out. In this day and age, we're hard pressed to find anyone actually absorbing the moment in front of them. As a photographer, it breaks my heart to see every person in the audience viewing the wedding through their screen, and when the bride walks down the aisle, the groom sees a bunch of phone screens blaring in his direction instead of being able to focus on his bride." — Laura Neff, owner of Laura Lee Photography

"I would have to say it is gathering people together for the family photos. After the wedding is over, it is so tempting for family members to head out to the cocktail hour, so I totally understand. However, to keep things running smoothly, we truly need them to stay seated and wait as the other guests head out so we can being the group family photos." — Michelle Horn, owner of Horn Photography & Design

"My wedding-day pet peeve is couples who cling to each other so tightly on the dance floor for their first dance that I can't see both their faces. In this day and age, no one wants to go back to the old-fashioned, obtrusive photographer who would tap a bride and groom on the shoulder during the first dance and ask them both to look in the camera for a shot. But as a wedding photographer, you realize there's a reason this old-fashioned method was so tried and true — for couples who rock back and forth without any space between them, all you can get are shots where either the bride or the groom's head is barely showing in the shot." — Faith West, owner of Faith West Photography

See More: Photographers' Tips for Ensuring Picture-Perfect Wedding Photos"Guests who get in the way of the photographer because they want to have their own photos on their own phones or cameras, sometimes ruining very special moments that cannot be re-done. Most of what makes up a wedding day are one-time things: The first time a couple sees each other on their wedding day, their vows, the kiss, the first dance. There are no do-overs. The guests who step in front of a photographer to get their own shots are caught on camera and now face the wrath from the couple." — Meredith Moran, owner of Meredith Moran Photography

"My biggest wedding day pet peeve is when the bride and groom don't do a first look, or don't allow enough time for portraits. If you don't want to do a first look, make sure your ceremony time is early enough that you have at least a good hour of sunlight left, so your photographer has time to get all the portraits done. Remember, you've got family formals, bridal party, and bride and groom. I've had so many bride and grooms refuse to do a first look, and then be rushed for portrait time — or be so hungry/tired that they don't want to do photos after the ceremony." — Chelsea Royse, owner of Chelsea Kaye Photography